John Stancavage: 'Great Leaders' seminar set for May
BY JOHN STANCAVAGE World Business Editor
Sunday, April 08, 2012
4/08/12 at 3:24 AM
It's not unusual for a professional to spend at least four years in college preparing for his or her career and then five to 10 more years learning on the job.
Let's say the person eventually becomes the best in the company at his or her specialty. Then what happens? Frequently, this top performer is promoted to supervisor.
The problem with this age-old system, says author and consultant Mark Murphy, is that suddenly he or she is thrown into an entirely new job - one as demanding, if not more so, than his or her old one - with no training.
"Usually, the person is not given anything more than a pat on the back before taking the new position," said Murphy, founder and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Leadership IQ.
I talked with Murphy last week about leadership and corporate cultures in an hour-long telephone interview. He will conduct a two-day seminar at the University of Tulsa next month.
The skills that make a person a great employee do not necessarily translate into being an effective manager, Murphy said. And, the promotion means the company just lost one of its best worker bees.
To make the move work, a business needs to give the manager some practical advice, such as:
- Create a vision. Managers need to describe goals that people are attracted to.
- Hold people accountable. Employees need to stand behind their work.
- Delegate. A manager cannot do all the work himself.
- Reward good work. The carrot on the stick can be money, recognition in front of the person's peers, a gift or perks.
Perhaps the best thing a manager can do, Murphy said, is to create an environment where workers can succeed. This entails giving people the right tools, making them feel energized and encouraging creativity.
Internet search firm Google, for instance, achieves this by letting its employees spend 20 percent of their time coming up with ideas, improving procedures or fixing problems that might not be part of their day-to-day duties.
"It's important to note that Google doesn't just allow this to happen - they require it," Murphy said.
Original Print Headline: Leadership not created by chance
What Great Leaders Do Differently
Date: May 14-15
Where: University of Tulsa
Instructor: Leadership IQ CEO Mark Murphy
Early registration (by April 30): $1,295 or $1,195 per person for groups of three from one company.
Information: 918-631-2215
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